Half Marathon Training Plan (40-55 km Weekly Mileage)

Welcome to Your Personalised Half Marathon Training Plan!

This 20-week Half Marathon Training Plan is crafted for runners seeking to enhance their performance or make the leap from shorter distances like 10Ks. With a manageable weekly mileage range of 40-55 km, this plan focuses on improving your endurance, speed, and strength in a structured and progressive way, ensuring you’re fully prepared to conquer the 21.1 km distance on race day.

Getting Started Call:

Kickstart your training with a personalised getting started call. We’ll review your current running routine, goals, and availability to tailor the plan to your needs and set you up for success from the start.

Communication:

Stay on track with weekly check-ins and progress updates. These help monitor your performance, adjust the plan based on your experience, and keep you motivated.

Consultations:

You’ll benefit from 30-minute consultations twice a month, allowing for in-depth discussions about your progress, any challenges you’re facing, and any necessary plan adjustments. This ongoing support ensures you’re constantly improving toward your half marathon goal.

Plan Structure & Updates:

The plan is split into four phases to ensure steady progress toward race day:

• Base Building Phase (Weeks 1-4):
  Focus on establishing a solid foundation of aerobic endurance, gradually increasing your weekly mileage and incorporating long, easy-paced runs.
• Strength & Speed Phase (Weeks 5-9):
  Introduce faster-paced workouts such as intervals and tempo runs to improve your running efficiency, stamina, and strength.
• Peak Phase (Weeks 10-13):
  Your weekly mileage will peak between 50-55 km, with longer runs (up to 18-20 km) and race-specific workouts designed to simulate half marathon pacing.
• Taper & Race Preparation (Weeks 14-20):
  Reduce your mileage to allow your body to recover, while fine-tuning race day strategies, including pacing, nutrition, and mental preparation.

This structured plan will be updated weekly based on your progress, ensuring a flexible approach that adapts to your evolving needs.

Components of the Plan:

• Mileage Progression:
  The plan starts at around 40 km per week, building up to 55 km in the peak phase, ensuring a gradual progression without overwhelming your body.
• Strength Training:
  Incorporate regular strength workouts focused on building the muscle endurance needed for the demands of a long-distance race, reducing injury risk, and improving running economy.
• Mobility & Flexibility:
  Maintain joint health and flexibility with mobility and stretching routines, critical for injury prevention and post-run recovery.
• Recovery Runs & Rest Days:
  Planned recovery runs and rest days to ensure you’re recovering adequately and adapting to the increased training load.

Diverse Workouts:

The plan includes a variety of workouts designed to build your running capacity:

• Long Runs:
  Gradually increase from 12 km to 18-20 km during the peak phase, preparing you to handle the race distance comfortably.
• Tempo Runs:
  Mid-length runs at a comfortably hard pace, improving your ability to sustain faster efforts for longer periods.
• Interval Workouts:
  Short bursts of fast running to increase your speed and boost your VO2 max.
• Hill Workouts:
  Incorporate hill sprints to improve leg strength, endurance, and running efficiency on varied terrains.

Peak Mileage:

The highest mileage weeks (Weeks 10-18) will push you to 50-55 km per week. During this time, you’ll focus on longer runs and half-marathon pace workouts to ensure you’re fully prepared to meet the demands of race day.

Metric Tracking:

Track your progress through time, distance, and intensity metrics. These data points provide insights into how your endurance and pacing are improving, helping you stay motivated throughout the plan.

Taper and Race Day Preparation:

In the final two weeks, we’ll focus on reducing your mileage and preparing you mentally and physically for race day. During this period, you’ll receive guidance on pacing strategies, nutrition, and race-day logistics to ensure you feel confident and ready.

Detailed Workout Descriptions:

Each workout comes with detailed pacing and effort guidelines, ensuring you know exactly how to approach each session for maximum benefit.

Who Is This Plan For?

This plan is ideal for athletes who:

• Have been consistently running 10K distances and are looking to make the transition to a half marathon.
• Want to increase their weekly mileage to 40-55 km while building endurance, speed, and strength.
• Are committed to following a structured, progressive training plan that will take them to the next level in their running journey.